Halloooo! I have the absolutely cutest sweater pattern to share today--a hoodie festooned with bears in hats! I laughed out loud when I saw the pattern, purchased it on the spot and then forgot about it. Then I got on my stranded colorwork kick, gathered my yarn together and made it in one month! I made between the first and second size, meaning, I cast on for the second size, realized right away it was going to be too roomy, then started to whittle it down to the first size. A hoodie is supposed to be roomy, so this works. I didn't know if I was going to make the hood, but when I tried the completed sweater on for my husband he thought a hoodie was in order. If you don't want a hood, you would then just pick up the provisional cast on and make a ribbed crew neck. There are directions for both. The hood was fast and simple.

The pattern is well written and very easy to follow, knit top down and easily adjustable for size, knit in DK weight so even though it's oversized it's not cumbersome. I've been LIVING in it! The bears are supposed to be sitting in a field of flowers but I liked Junipernj's version with pinecones, hanging branches, or upside down trees, whatever you happen to see, better. She has a chart you can download on her Ravelry page. Thank you Juniper!

I happened to have the pinky orange Arbor in my stash, also the white Alpaca Soft Dk, so I started there and only had to purchase the charcoal. Even though the Arbor and Alpaca Soft swatched out exactly the same, the alpaca is very loosey goosey and the Arbor's wool is very firm and stays in place so it was not a perfect match for colorwork. I didn't realized it until all the colorwork was finished and then decided I could live with it. It's a rookie mistake, but since I am new at stranded knitting I gave myself a break and said, lesson learned. I won't add alpaca to a wool sweater again. I'd like to give a little shout out to Arbor. I thought it was fantastic to knit, and it's completely soft next to my skin. It's 100% American grown, spun and dyed Targhee wool and I think I've found my perfect go-to DK weight yarn. 

This would make an ideal first stranded pattern as you only use two colors per row, except for one or two rows when you have to use three. All in all a very fun sweater to knit and wear, and if you are on the fence, go ahead and do it!

Lots of pictures below!